Jdigital – Spain’s online gambling trade association has stated that the market has begun to suffer ‘negative evolution’ of overbearing regulations and policies, set by Spain’s Ministry of Consumer Affairs. 

Citing official DGOJ figures tracking the Q1 performance, Jdigital noted that a 15% decline in turnover, marked the fourth consecutive quarterly decline for Spain’s regulated online gambling marketplace.

Of heightened concern, the market registered a 9% decrease in active accounts, that was further compounded by a 56% decrease in new customer accounts recorded during the Q1 period.

 “This evolution increases the feeling of instability and uncertainty that already prevailed in the sector, especially after the approval of the Royal Decree on Commercial Communications of Gambling Activities.” – Jdigital remarked.

The trade body has appealed for a constitutional review of Spain’s Royal Decree on Advertising, further outlined concerns on the market’s stunted development. 

Of note, advertising budgets related to betting inventory tumbled by 52% to €34 million, as licensed incumbents can no longer use traditional mediums to promote their services.

Elsewhere investment in sponsorship has all but collapsed (-93%) to just €630,000 recorded as Spanish sports clubs continue to adjust to a blanket ban on betting sponsorship applied directly by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs.  

“The regulated online gambling ecosystem in Spain is experiencing a stagnation of the negative trend in which it is immersed, thus generating concern among the agents involved,” said  Jorge Hinojosa, Director General of Jdigital. 

“The decrease in the business not only harms the companies that operate with license in the country, which also see how in parallel the illegal market would be growing, but also the state itself, which in 2021 collected €7 million less through the tax rates applied to the gambling activity”.